Washing-machine



(No Model.)

G. P. LANE. WASHING MACHINE.

No. 477,013. Patented June 14, 189 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. LANE, OF TULARE, CALIFORNIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 77,0 13, dated June 14,1892.

Application filed $epte1nher 29, 1890. Serial No. 366,486. (No model.)

T0 11 whom at may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. LANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at 'lulare, in the county of Tulare and State of California,have invented a new and useful Improvement in \Vashing-ll/lachines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in washing-machines; and the objectof my pres ent invention is to provide an inexpensive, durable,easily-manipulated, and convenient machine for washing clothes withoutrubbing them and without subjecting them to wear of any consequence bycausing soapsuds to pass through the texture of the fabrics by thepress- 11 re of compressed air.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as a'part thereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is avertical central longitudinal section of the suds-box, and Fig. 3represents the valves by which the air is admitted and retained in thesuds-box.

My machine consists of the suds-box A, made in the form of ahalf-cylinder flattened upon the under side and suspended by gudgeons Bat the center of the circles formed by the sides of the suds-box andresting in the bearings m on the stand or frame 0, which consists of theside pieces 2, the end pieces y, and the uprights or legs The suds-boxis hollow and may be made of any suitable material, but preferably ofwood, with a corrugated bottom to on the inside, which, by retarding themovement of the clothes, facilitates their turning over and theirthorough penetration by the suds. The top of the sudsbox is closed witha fixed cover 8, except in the middle part, where the suds and clothesare put in and taken out through the oblong opening c, which opening isopened and closed by the lid a, which is fasten d at either end bythumb-buttons k, and removed and replaced by means of the knob 25. Inthe center of each of the fixed portions or ends of the cover 8 is anair-hole 0', covered underneath with a leather valve D,which opensdownward and is fastened by the tongue 1 to the under side of the coverby tacks or other suitable fasteners. On the inside of thesuds-box,beneath the cover, extending across the sudsbox, and projectinglaterally from the sides of the oblong frame 17, which forms the opening '0, are shelves or partitions 0, which slope slightly downward andextend toward to the sides of the suds-box and form chambers n for theair which is driven back and compressed by the oscillations of thesuds-box by means of the lover or handle E, supported by the uprightsF,which are fastened to the ends of the suds-box above the gudgcons B.

After the soiled clothes or fabrics which it is desired to clean havebeen placed inside of the suds-box with sufficient suds to fill the boxordinarily from one-third to one-half full the cleaning of the clothesis effected by forcing the suds through them by means of the air whichhas entered through the valves l) and become compressed alternatelyinthe airchambers formed by the shelves 0 by rocking or oscillating thesuds-box by means of the handle E, so that when one side of the sudsboxis depressed the air rushes into the other side through the valve, andwhen the action is reversed the air so admitted becomes compressed andforces the suds through the clothes until the condensed air produced bydepressing theother side meets and forces the suds back through theclothes in the opposite direction, and so on alternately.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

' In an improved washing-machine, the combination, with a suds'boxhaving a corrugated bottom, of the end covering-pieces provided withair-vents, the valves arranged upon the under sides of said end piecesbeneath the air-vents, the removablelid arranged between the end pieces,the inclined shelves arranged beneath each end piece, thesupporting-frame, and the gudgeons attached to the suds-box, allarranged substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES F. LANE. \Vitnesses:

J. F. BoLLEn,

E. '1. Costume.

